Your life is on hold, we apologize for the inconvenience

So, it's been the day from hell today. My employers, a company of just under 100 people, bit the bullet and started the layoffs. All day, waiting to find out where the axe would land, and on whom. We are now a company of 85 people, and hope to still exist this time next year.

Right now, I'm hoping that I've managed to get the worst day of the year over with - and I was one of the survivors. I really feel for those who are now facing an ugly job market and putting their lives back together. Work, whatever it is you do, becomes a very large part of your life - and for writers, working a regular job of some description is usually part of the territory.

Since I'm not in any state to write a post, much less a coherent one, it's open thread time. A few thoughts to kick it off - what are you hoping this year will bring? Any bright shiny new things to discuss? Wonderful new toys?

As always, please stay away from the tar pits, especially the ones with the signs labeled "Contemporary Politics" and "Contemporary Religion". They bite.